Clinical Guides: Communicating Research Findings: Conference Posters & Visual Abstracts

Guidance & Training

Use the Creating conference posters: Practical tips PDF below. A step-by-step guide or dip into a section relevant to your needs.
Includes: poster format, structure, text and colours, graphics, charts and printing options.

Creating conference posters - Practical tips

Check the Library training calendar and register for an upcoming 'How to prepare a conference poster' webinar.

Templates

Monash Health conference poster templates can be downloaded and edited to suit your requirements. Choose from the PowerPoint or Canva formats below. Several different layouts are available.

PowerPoint - Portrait - A0 size

PowerPoint - Landscape - A0 size

PowerPoint - Landscape - 16:9 size

The 16:9 aspect ratio is commonly used for digital/virtual conference posters.

Canva templates

You will need a Canva (design software) account to open and edit these Monash Health templates -- create a free account at canva.com.
Note: These templates are set to A0 size. Resizing a Canva template requires a PRO account. Contact the library if you need assistance resizing.

New to Canva?

Get practical step by step guidance with the PDF below, and/or register for a Canva beginner workshop. Check upcoming dates here

Canva design tool - Practical tips

Printing

Allanby Press can handle the printing and delivery of your poster, with the cost being charged to your department's cost centre. Please sales@allanbypress.com.au the details of your poster, including size, number of copies, cost centre code, and delivery address.

Need some inspiration?

Browse MH posters in the research repository. Here are some examples from your MH peers :)

Research Poster Templates

Cochrane Poster Templates: See "New templates for 2019 - updated January 2022".
- Cochrane branded traditional academic conference templates
- Cochrane branded Better Poster templates: Cyan #betterposter template, Green #betterposter template, Magenta #betterposter template, Orange #betterposter template, Red #betterposter template, Teal #betterposter template
Better Poster Templates by Mike Morrison: Download templates in the left-hand column under the 'Special Versions' folder. Landscape and portrait versions available.
BioRender: Poster builder and large number of icons and graphics relating to health and life sciences available.
Canva: Create a free account on Canva. Log in to your account and create a new document with the dimensions 594mm x 420mm. Search "research poster" under the 'Design' tab on the left-hand column. Select an appropriate template.

Research Poster Resources

View the Four Design Elements for Research Poster (6:25) video below by the Gibson D. Lewis Health Science Library
Better Posters blog is a great resource of information about research posters in general. Read the Better Posters “Critique” series where the author critiques posters sent in by readers and Ten simple rules for conference posters.
How to create an award winning conference poster (London School of Economics Blog)

Visual Abstracts

Example visual abstracts - to get inspiration:

JMIR Publications gallery of visual abstracts
Browse #VisualAbstracts on Twitter [X] (you do not need an X account to browse).

Templates and guidance

Mind the Graph: templates for graphical abstracts and infographics. minimal free access...paid subscription more useful.
Use of a Visual Abstract to Disseminate Scientific Research: See pages 20-25 for step-by-step instructions on how to use the templates.

Image source: Ibrahim, A.M. (2018). Use of a visual abstract to disseminate scientific research. Pg.9.